MOBILE APPLICATIONS OVERVIEW
21w.789 CLASS 1
What is the class about?
Investigating the interaction between people and mobile computing devices
Creating compelling mobile applications and services Group project-based class
Design, build, and document a novel mobile application Final conference-style paper
Other small assignments along the way Location exploration, network characterization
Classes split into lecture and studio/sharing/review time Attendance and participation expected!
The Syllabus
Devices
Develop on your own devices or borrow a Motorola Cliq (Android 2.1) from us. A very small number of Droid 1s may also be available. One phone per group.
Class will focus mostly on non-platform specific topics, some examples will be given for Android and iPhone
Assignments require data access – no textbook, so this is really the only cost for the class. T-Mobile/Cricket/Boost have good pay-as-you-go data plans.
Mobile Computing is Everywhere
An Internet-connected computer in 3 billion pockets…
Why study mobile computing?
Changing lives of many Farm Prices Microfinance Live Media Sharing Constant Access to Information
Mobile Applications Becoming Ubiquitous iPhone App Store Android Marketplace J2ME Portals from Carriers
What’s unique about mobile?
Media Capture Ability to share your world with others Document life for yourself, anywhere
Sensing Location, accelerometer, compass, body sensing Get content you want, fast Sense and track personal health
Social Connectivity Device tied to a person, almost always with them Voice, text, email, chat, media sharing…
Much more than just writing the code
Ideation
Design
Build
Test
Observation
Inspiration for design
Learning from people In-situ observations of related practices Grounding new designs in real-world behavior
Coherent Design
Design is a process from the beginning Ensure interaction flows for a user Especially important on a small-screen mobile
device!
Building and Testing are Iterative
Increasing fidelity with quick tests along the way From paper to working in the world Catch mistakes early when it’s easy to change
0 5 10 15 20 25
Requirements
Design
Implementation
Maintenance
Relative Cost To Repair Defect
from Managing Software Requirements (Leffingwell et al)
Mobile Ecosystem
Web
• No installation • Limited
interaction with phone platform
• Rendering issues on different handsets
• Some reach to almost every device
J2ME
• Works on most non-smart phones
• More interaction with phone platform
• Consistent Look and Feel
• Lifecycle limitations
Native
• Written for a particular OS
• Deepest interaction with phone platform
• Background Processes
• More complex distribution/testing
Mobile Web Applications
J2ME Applications
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hasselblad/493225561/
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/ http://operamini.com Shakra (Glasgow)
Native Applications
Path to consumer
Web: Go to a URL (but they must know/find that URL) Instant and updatable totally from server side
J2ME: Carrier marketplace No paths for updates unless it’s a part of your app
Native: Platform App Store (Apple, Google, RIM) Updates can be placed in app stores / users notified
on some schedule, but not instantly
Current Mobile Research Areas
Location-Based Mobile Computing Persuasive Applications Social Networking / Web 2.0 Extending Experiences Personal Networks/Wearables Companion Devices Enterprise
Location-Aware Computing
How can location help make any mobile task more efficient? Finding restaurants Getting movie tickets Knowing which bus to take Tagging photos Finding friends Know where to sell their crops Mobile tour guide/games
REXplorer
Mobile Persuasion
How can mobile phones convince people to… Eat healthy food Work out Use less energy Help their friends and family Volunteer Be religious Save the planet
Social Networking / Web 2.0
How can phones link in data from online communities? Status in contacts app Micro-coordination (helping plan
and meet up) See photos from friends Syncing online calendars Selling goods/services Managing group finances /
microfinance
Yahoo! OneConnect
Extending Experiences
How can an experience on a phone augment an in-person experience? Sports – replays/stats on phone Concerts/Festivals – see
other people’s photos/ videos in real time
Working out – virtual workouts with others
Jogging the Distance
Personal Networks/Wearables
What can you do when you combine a phone with other sensors/actuators? Step Counters Pollution Sensors Actuated Hugs
Houston (Intel Research)
inAir (CMU) Hug Over a Distance (Melbourne)
Companion Devices
How can mobile devices be used to complement other screens (TV/Computer/Games)? Displaying “private” information Interactions off-screen to not disturb others Different content for different people
BackTalk (Media Lab) DIRECTV iPhone app
Enterprise
How can mobile devices be used in a work context? Routing people more efficiently Getting additional information about products from
web / checking inventory Automatic check-in based on Bluetooth ID
QR Code for Wikipedia
RFID Reader
Now…
Introduce yourselves, discuss mobile interests Short break
Intro to ethnographic-style field methods…
Mobile is different
Interactions happen in the world Interactions are generally private and not directly
observable Interactions are short and spread throughout the
day
Inspiration for Design
Design of a new application/service should be grounded in daily realities
Should work with how people think about each other, their environments, and the world
Need to get out into the world to learn this…
Pick a topic area and explore…
we have studied: in-family communication (2002) photo sharing (2003 & 2007) music use (2005) location sharing (2006) social television (2007-2009) trips to sporting events (2008) intergenerational distance communication (2010)
Rapid UCD Process 1. ethnographic-style investigations in a new
space of interest 2. concept generation and prioritization 3. initial prototype implementation (days or
weeks) 4. field test of new system 5. iterate 6. product decision 7. work with marketing, design, engineering, and
sales teams to create product version Can stop work at any time if value is not shown
b
Steps to initial ethnographic-style research
Define research questions What do you need to know to create your new service /
application? Focus on understanding current practices
Define methods Observation, interviews, home tours, diary logging, etc.
Recruit users Generally 7-10 is sufficient, stop when you see repeat data
Conduct Study Analyze Data Design!
Research Questions
Intergenerational Communication Over Distance How do participants communicate with remote family/closer relations? What tools do they use? What are the barriers to remote communication? What challenges do people face in maintaining or
engaging in remote communication? What communication tensions and obligations exist surrounding remote communicate for the elderly? What are differences between communication at a distance and communication when remote
relatives visit? What artifacts in the home serve to promote remembrance of and communication with distant family? Use of Location in Phone Calls During communications with others, what location and activity information is provided? Under what circumstances is this activity and location information disclosed? Why do people disclose location and activity information? How are disclosures of activity and location similar? Different? Music Usage What breakdowns exist in today’s music experience in both independent and co-located situations? What contextual (from the past and the present) metadata can be used to address the breakdowns
in today’s music experience as identified in previous question? How can this contextual information be used to enhance today’s music experience?
Methods: Observation
Watch how users interact with a space/object/each other
Good for observing many people, findings patterns Good when interaction times/locations are
predictable But only get what, not why
Used by students for grocery store behaviors, wayfinding in public spaces, booking travel
Methods: Home Tours
Visit a home or work setting and see particular places of interaction
Good for tasks which are very context dependent / rely on physical objects
Used in Elder Communication study, music study (CDs), photo study (photos on display, use of computers, etc.)
Methods: Diary Logging
Have participants keep a log (paper, voicemail, voicenotes, etc.) when they do particular things of interest
Get data at time event happens. MUCH more reliable than recall some time later
Used in almost all of our studies: Elder Communication, Location Sharing, etc.
Methods: Interviews
Interviews complement direct observation Should focus on understanding current practice NOT future concepts, “would you like …,” etc. Generally semi-structured with probes that follow
up in interesting areas of use
Used in every study we’ve done
What to watch for…
What do people enjoy…what part of a task makes them smile?
Where do they get hung up/frustrated? What is currently easy/hard for them to do? How does their environment appear to play into
their use?
Examples: Music Usage
Home tours, Interviews, Contextual Inquiry 12 participants Explored how they searched for, selected, played,
and acquired music Findings: Satisficing, Ruts + Kicks, More like this Designs: Metadata Knob, Playtree, Music Presence
Examples: Location Sharing
5 participants Recorded phone calls for 1 week Interviews + Statistical data analysis of calls
Findings: People already share basic location context, transition times mostly unknown, confirmation of context confirms availability
Designs: Motion Presence, Contacts 3.0/MotoBLUR
How to ask questions…
Don’t ask people what they usually do, how they would use/like a particular application/feature, or what they would do in a given situation
Do ask about specific instances of use (“the last time” or “the time before that” work nicely)
Do ask questions you have after observing someone, but wait until they are done with what they are doing
Follow up when you want more information…keep them talking
Semi-Structured Observation
Goal: To develop understanding of area of interest – inspire design ideas for new applications
Process: Come up with a few research questions. Observe people performing activities in your area of interest. If possible ask questions about their use that help you understand answers to questions.
Write exact quotes or observations on post-it notes – a single idea to a note
Try to capture ~75 notes
Examples of notes…
From a study on music use: “Some of my CDs remind me of a time I had and I like to put it on
and remember that time I had with it. Fall always gets me in the mood to play music I always listen to. Me and my sisters sitting on the porch and talking in our Nike sweatshirts. We used to play this song over and over when we went to her house”
“I often don’t like listening to the old stuff because…it sometimes takes me back to somewhere I don’t want to be…”
“She made this CD of music that related to them, she had this basket of CDs at the wedding and everyone took one and the bubbles…”
“Clock radio wakes me up as a routine every morning. I turn off my clock radio and turn on my stereo because it has better sound…”
Has CDs in a stack with no cases – sorts like playing cards
For next class…
Bring in raw data on ~75 notecards, each observation on a card – do not start any analysis
In class: We’ll be performing an affinity analysis based on your
observations to help inspire new ideas, solutions based in real world problems
From analysis, we’ll create design ideas for your semester project.
Questions?
Let’s talk now… Additional questions, please email us
Available throughout week electronically
Frank – [email protected] Ed – [email protected] Audubon – [email protected]